Mining woes far from over; Lopez asked on audit basis

The woes at mining
sector is far from over as the number of organizations and stakeholders asking
Environment Secretary Gina Lopez to reveal the exact and more detailed audit
reports started to pile up days after she decided to close down 23 metallic
mines and suspends five more.

This, while the
country’s biggest miners began appealing directly to President Rodrigo Duterte
to review Lopez’s action because it is not just “unfair” but also “illegal.”

The head of the
country’s national geological institution is now calling on the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to make public the basis for her
directive on the closure of 23 mining operations and the suspension of five
others.

According to him, this
will enable future engineers and geologists to learn from Lopez’s decisions and
determine how to best enforce responsible mining practices.

Dr. Carlos Arcilla, the
director of the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological
Sciences, said that while he agrees with Lopez that irresponsible mining
operations should be shut down, he is puzzled as to why Lopez had not furnished
the mining firms copies of the mining audit, which should have been the basis
for ordering their closure and suspension.

“We are in agreement that the irresponsible
mines should be closed. No argument on that. That is the purpose of the audit –
technical people checking whether the mines are fulfilling the obligations
under law to protect the environment,” Arcilla said.

“We are interested to
know what the bases are for closing mines – we have to teach future geologists
and engineers the correct and scientific ways to mine so as not to endanger the
environment,” added Arcilla.

Arcilla also raised a
question as to why the DENR barred technical personnel of the Mines and
Geosciences Bureau (MGB), who conducted the mining audit, during the time when
the final audit results were announced.

Chamber of Mines of the
Philippines, which comprised most of the country’s biggest miners, believes the
same thing, saying it was apparent there was “widespread chaos” in Lopez’
department.

“The basis for the mine
closures have not been made public, and they have not been given to the mines
that are to be closed,” Arcilla said. “This tells me that the main basis for mine
closures is emotion, superficial impressions.”

Arcilla pointed out
that engineers and scientists who have spent years studying mining and other
extractive industries should be the ones relied upon in cleaning up the mess
caused by irresponsible mining practices.

“Those who claim they
are the only people who can clean the environment and the only people who love
the environment and this country, without adequate training are seriously
misguided. They are even dangerous if they dictate policy,” Arcilla further
said.

Meanwhile, COMP on
Monday began appealing directly to Duterte for his intervention against Lopez’s
decision.

“We respectfully appeal
to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to thoroughly review the
actions of the DENR Secretary-designate relating to the minerals sector, and
their serious repercussions to the country as a whole as they are without
basis, fairness and legality,” Art Disini, chairman of COMP, said.

“She violated due
process – which is an inherent part of the rule of law – and did not give
proper notice by consistently refusing to release the results of the audit to
the affected parties,” he added.

According to him,
Lopez’s actions have finally revealed her true bias, which is to stop all
mining in the Philippines.

“Beyond the mining
companies, the Secretary-designate’s intent to close the mining sector poses a
danger to other industries. The logistics companies who provide drilling,
construction, hauling and shipping; processing companies; manpower and
transportation service providers; even those in the education and health
sectors will be seriously impacted by the actions of the Secretary-designate,”
Disini said.

“Other strategic
industries such as energy and petroleum are also being shackled and slowly
strangled to death by stopping the issuance and processing or cancelling of
existing Environmental Compliance Certificates,” he added.

Lopez said in a
statement on Sunday her decision was consistent with her “non-negotiable”
stance against irresponsible mining.

Unfazed by skepticism
over her decision, Lopez said over the weekend that she can prove that “green
economy” can provide more jobs than destructive mining.

She even assured
alternative livelihood opportunities to affected mine workers and their
families.